Closure means for through-the-door ice service for household refrigerators

ABSTRACT

ERS OF THIS TYPE DEPEND TO A GREAT EXTENT ON THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE PASSAGEWAY CLOSURE MEMBER. THE CLOSURE MEMBER PROVIDED HEREIN EFFECTIVELY SEALS THE PASSAGEWAY, AND IT CAN BE REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED INTO ITS COMPONENT PARTS WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH THE OPERATION OF ITS DRIVE MECHANISM.   THROUGH-THE-DOOR ICE SERVICES EMPLOYED IN HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATORS INCLUDE A SLANTING ICE CONVEYING PASSAGEWAY HAVING AN INLET ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ICE FROM A FREEZING UNIT AND AN OUTLET IN A SERVICE AREA OUTSIDE THE DOOR. SINCE THE INLET TO THE PASSAGEWAY IS EXPOSED TO FREEZING TEMPERATURES, WHEREAS THE PASSAGEWAY OUTLET IS EXPOSED TO AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, SATISFACTORY OPERATION OF DISPENS-

Feb. 27, 1973 j GlTTELSON ET AL 3,718,237 I I CLOSURE MEANS FOR THROUGH-THE-DOOR ICE SERVICE FOR HOUS EHOLD REFRIGERATORS Filed Dec. 15, 1971 United States Patent O "ice CLOSURE MEANS FOR THROUGH-THE-DOOR ICE SERVICE FOR HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATORS Joel A. Gittelson and Howard D. F. True, In, Fern Creek,

Ky., assignors to General Electric Company, Louisville, Ky.

Filed Dec. 15, 1971, Ser. No. 208,371 Int. Cl. B6711 3/00 US. Cl. 222-505 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Through-the-door ice services employed in household refrigerators include a slanting ice conveying passageway having an inlet adapted to receive ice from a freezing unit and an outlet in a service area outside the door. Since the inlet to the passageway is exposed to freezing temperatures, whereas the passageway outlet is exposed to ambient temperatures, satisfactory operation of dispensers of this type depend to a great extent on the proper operation of the passageway closure member. The closure member provided herein effectively seals the passageway, and it can be removed and disassembled into its component parts without interfering with the operation of its drive mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains generally to ice dispensing means for refrigerators and freezers. Freezer compartments of refrigerators are known which contain ice making units capable of producing and storing pieces of ice in predetermined amounts. Ice dispensers are now being provided which include through-the-door ice delivery passageways so that cubes and crushed ice can be obtained without opening the freezer or refrigerator. An example of this type of dispenser is described in Pat. 3,537,273Alvarez. Cubes, of course, is the general term now employed for pieces of ice other than crushed, whether they are hexahedral, cylindrical, crescent-shaped, or in the form of irregular chunks. The term refers more to the size of the ice pieces, four to six cubes generally filling an ordinary drinking glass.

A desirable ice dispenser of the type having a passageway through the refrigerator or freezer door is illustrated in application Ser. No. 43,104, now Pat. 3,640,088, filed June 3, 1970, in the names of D. W. Jacobus and M. L. Simms and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. This dispenser includes a slanting ice conveying passageway extending from an ice maker storage receptacle, diagonally downwardly through the refrigerator or freezer door, to an outlet which opens into a recessed service area in the refrigerator door itself. Since the recessed service area is on the outside of the door, ice is available without the door being opened. As the ice conveying passageway must be kept closed except during use, to prevent warm air from entering the freezing compartment, a normally closed, closure member is adapted to close the outlet.

It has been found that satisfactory operation of dispensers of this type depends to a great extent on the proper operation of the closure member. Thus, it is essential that the temperature of the chute normally be below freezing temperatures. Otherwise discharged cubed and crushed ice will melt, stick to the chute and freeze within the chute when the closure member is closed. In order to aid in preventing the chute from becoming excessively warm during use, the opening of the closure member is synchronized with the operation of the ice ejector. This is made easier by pivotal operation of the closure member. It is apparent that the closure member must be 3,718,237 Patented Feb. 27, 1973 provided with a gasket member adequately sealing the chute opening. Desirable means will also be included to prevent the closure member from freezing in its closed position.

The closure members of the ice dispensing apparatus of Ser. No. 43,104 and of 3,537,273 solve many of the problems which have been described. Nevertheless, they are subject to improvement. For instance, when the sealing gasket is an integral part of the closure member the entire member must be replaced should the gasket become worn, deformed or damaged. In addition, when the crank arm is integral with the closure member, for example when the closure member is molded around the crank arm, or the arm is otherwise embedded in the closure member, the entire closure assembly must be disconnected when the closure member is to be replaced. It can be seen, therefore, that it is desirable to have a closure member which can be more readily removed and preferably disassembled into components without disconnecting the crank from its drive mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the practice of this invention a closure member for a through-the-door ice chute is provided which can be disassembled without interfering with the operation of the crank drive means. The entire closure member can be replaced, or the sealing gasket alone can be replaced by a simple twist permitting removal of the closure member from the crank holding it in place. The closure member is in the form of a rigid plate-shaped body member having a plane top surface, and an exposed rim. It is contoured to fit within or over the chute. A flaxible sealing disc having a groove capable of receiving the exposed rim is detachably secured around the periphery of the body member, overlapping the plane top surface thereof. The rigid body member fits in the groove, and the sealing disc extends beyond the periphery of the body member forming a rim which seats over the chute opening to close the chute. A pair of spaced-apart angular retaining fingers project doumwardly from the bottom surface of the plate-shaped body member and are bent outwardly in opposite directions to hold the crank when said crank is inserted therebetween and turned under the fingers. Friction catch means are attached to the underside of the plate-shaped body member, in align ment with the retaining fingers in order to hold the crank along the bottom surface of the rigid body member when the crank is held by the retaining fingers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of an ice dispenser in a freezing compartment of a household refrigerator, showing the passageway through the refrigerator or freezer door.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the chute closure member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the bottom of the closure member.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are views of part of the closure member showing how the member is attached to a crank arm.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the from lower portion of an ice crusher 2 receiving ice cubes from an ice storage receptacle, not shown. By helical or other conveying means cubes stored in the storage receptacle are advanced to crusher 2. From the crusher the ice is discharged either as cubes or as crushed ice into a tubular chute 4. Chute 4 desirably consists of an upper section 6 and a lower section 8 extending telescopically, diagonally downwardly through the refrigerator or freezing compartment door 10. The lower section 8 of chute 4 opens into a dispensing spout 12 which, through a plurality of flexible fingers 14, directs ice into a glass or other suitable receptacle positioned within a recess 16 in door 10. The lower end of chute 4, the upper end of ice dispensing spout 12 and the upper end of fingers 14 are flanged at 18, 20 and 22, thereby being supported by recess top wall 24.

Since the inlet of chute 4 is adapted to receive ice from the freezing unit, the temperature within the chute should be near the freezing compartment temperature. The temperature in spout 12, on the other hand, is above freezing. Stated differently, the chute is exposed to freezing temperatures, whereas the spout is exposed to ambient temperatures. These temperatures are maintained by keeping the outlet of chute 4 closed except when ice is being dispensed. It is the chute closure means 28 to which this invention is specifically directed.

In FIG. 1 the closure means can be seen in a normally closed position within spout 12. As will be described, a crank 30 is attached to the bottom side of the closure member, and the top side is provided with a peripheral sealing surface adapted to close off the outlet of chute 4. The closure means opens the chute outlet when the driving mechanism is energized by depressing push rod 32. When this occurs crank 30 swings the closure member away from the chute outlet.

The details of construction of the closure means can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The closure means can be disassembled into three parts: a crank 30, a rigid plateshaped body member 32 and a flexible sealing disc 34. The plate-shaped body member generally will be fabricated of plastic or other material of low thermal conductivity. The sealing disc will be made of rubber or an elastomeric plastic such as plasticized or flexibilized polyvinyl chloride, etc. The crank usually will be metallic. Plate-shaped body member 32 preferably will have a contour corresponding to that of chute 4. Thus, if the chute has a square cross section, the plate-shaped body member will be square. In the embodiment illustrated both are round. To permit the sealing disc to seat well to seal the chute, it is desirable that plate-shaped body member 32 be contoured to fit within the chute. This construction permits sealing disc 34 to have an outer edge 36, seen in the bottom view, FIG. 3, which extends beyond the plate-shaped body member and seals the chute outlet. If the rigid body member covers the chute opening a softer sealing disc will be needed.

In order that sealing disc 34 be removable, yet tightly, secured to plate-shaped body member 32, the sealing disc is provided with a groove 38, seen in FIG. 2, adapted to accept, that is fit over, the exposed rim of the body member. The sealing disc is thus urged over the rim and placed around the outside of the plate-shaped body member in a tire-like fit. A bottom flanged portion, visible as flange 42 in FIG. 3, holds the sealing disc against the bottom surface of plate-shaped body member 32. For added strength a reinforcing ring 44 extending perpendicularly away from the bottom, can be formed in the body member bottom. On the top side of plate-shaped body member 32, sealing disc 34 can extend partway toward the center a sufficient distance to be held thereby, or as shown in FIG. 2 the disc can cover the entire top surface of the plate-shaped body member. The full disc affords a greater degree of insulation. It will also be used if the retention fingers or spring catches, to be presently described, are struck from the body member, or molded thereon, in such a way that the body member is perforated at the base of the fingers or catches.

As indicated hereinbefore the closure member described thus far is supported on a crank, by which it is forced against and withdrawn away from the chute outlet. This crank 30, best seen in FIG. 3, is in the form of a rod having two crank arms 46 and 48 joined by a straight portion or crank pin 50 in a U-shaped form. In order to insure a tight fit of the closure member over the chute outlet crank arms 46 and 48 each have a short upward declivity, best seen in FIG. 2, so that they jut upwardly at the edge of the closure member. In addition, the ends of the crank arms are bent outwardly so that they can be journaled in the sides of spout 12.

The means for detachably securing the crank to the closure member, as well as the method for attaching it to the closure member, will be best understood by reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. In these views plate-shaped body member 32 is shown upside down. The bottom surface of the body member is provided with oppositely directed, spaced-apart angular retaining fingers 52 and 54. These retaining fingers are integral with the bottom surface of plate-shaped body member 32, protruding vertically downwardly therefrom. The end of each retaining finger contains an angular bend, retaining finger 52 pointing in one direction and finger 54 in the opposite direction so that their bent ends are approximately side by side. It is apparent that when straight portion 50 of the crank is inserted between retaining fingers 52 and 54, as shown in FIG. 4, and then turned as shown in FIG. 5, it is locked under the retaining fingers. The ends of the retaining fingers are bent sufiiciently so that the crank portion does not slip out.

Crank arms 46 and 48 are loosely locked to the bottom surface of the closure member as shown in FIG. 3. This is accomplished by friction catches 56 and 58 (FIG. 4) which are also integral with the bottom surface of plate-shaped body member 32. In the usual manner claws 60 and 61 of friction catch 56, and claws 62 and 63 of friction catch 58 are forced apart as crank arms 46 and 48, respectively, are pushed therebetween. The crank arms are retained thereby until forced out of the catches. Whether the crank arms are against the bottom surface of the closure member or spaced a small distance above it depends upon the lengths of the retaining fingers and the claws of the friction catches. Gibs 67 and 68 project vertically between and against the crank arms 46 and 48 while gib 69 projects towards straight portion 56 to limit movement of the closure member when it is in place.

It can be seen that an ice chute closure member has been provided herein which can be not only easily manufactured and assembled, but which can be readily removed for partial or total replacement. Whereas heretofore it was necessary to remove the crank and part of the drive mechanism to replace a sealing gasket, this is no longer the case. Variations will, of course, occur to those skilled in the art. As the closure member is rather loosely supported on the crank, to insure positive seating plateshaped body member 32 is provided with a guide rod 70 between friction catches 56 and 58 (FIG. 4). The rod extends rearwardly in a place approximately parallel to the surface of the disc. By engaging flange 18 when the closure member is closed, rod 70 keeps the closure member from tilting as it is being closed against the chute outlet. Other modifications will also become apparent, and such ramifications are deemed to be within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a household refrigerator including an ice dispensing unit adapted on actuation to eject pieces of ice from the ice storage receptacle through a tubular ice conveying chute passing downwardly and outwardly through the refrigerator door and terminating in a chute opening, closure means for closing the chute opening comprising a rigid plate-shaped body member and a sealing disc extending beyond the periphery of the body member and forming an outer sealing edge which seats over the chute opening to close the chute, a crank pivotally supported at the end of the chute having a portion to swing over and away from the chute opening, a pair of spaced-apart retaining fingers projecting downwardly from the bottom surface of the plate-shaped body member and having end portions extending in opposite directions in side-by-side spaced relation to hold the crank when said crank portion is inserted therebetween and the body member rotated to position the crank portion under the fingers, and friction catch means in alignment with the retaining fingers to hold the crank along the bottom surface of the plateshaped body member when the crank is held by the retaining fingers.

2. The closure means of claim 1 wherein the crank is a rod having two crank arms joined by a straight crank portion in a U-shaped form, wherein the crank arms are adapted for pivotal connection at the end of the chute to swing the crank portion over and away from the chute opening, wherein the oppositely directed spaced angular retaining fingers are adapted to hold the crank portion of the bifurcated crank when said straight portion is inserted therebetween and turned under the fingers, and wherein the friction catch means includes a pair of friction catches in alignment with the retaining fingers to hold the crank arms along the bottom surface of the plate-shaped body member when the crank portion is held by the retaining fingers.

3. The closure means of claim 2 wherein the plateshaped body member is provided with gibs projecting upwardly between and adjacent the crank arms and against the straight crank portion to limit movement of the crank arms when they are held by the retaining fingers.

4. The closure means of claim 2 wherein the plateshaped body member is provided with a guide rod projecting outwardly from a point on the plate-shaped body member between the friction catches in a plane approximately parallel to the surface of the disc.

5. The closure means of claim 2 wherein the plateshaped body member is composed of a rigid plastic, wherein the retaining fingers and friction catches are integral therewith, and wherein the sealing disc is composed of a flexible elastomeric plastic.

6. A closure member capable of closing a tubular ice conveying chute outlet in a household refrigerator, the chute passing downwardly through the refrigerator door, said closure member comprising a rigid plate-shaped body member having a plane top surface, an exposed rim and a contour corresponding to the chute opening, a flexible sealing disc having a groove for receiving the exposed rim so that the sealing disc is detachably secured around the periphery of the body member, overlapping the plane top surface thereof, the sealing disc extending beyond the periphery of the body member to form an outer sealing edge which can seat over the chute opening to close the chute, a pair of spaced-apart angular retaining fingers projecting downwardly from the bottom surface of the plate-shaped body member and bent outwardly in opposite directions to engage a crank when said crank is inserted therebetween and the closure member rotated to place the crank under the fingers, and friction catch means in alignment with the retaining fingers to hold the crank along the bottom surface of the plate-shaped body member when the crank is engaged by the retaining fingers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,640,088 2/1972 Jacobus et al. 62-320 3,537,273 11/1970 Alvarez 62-266 1,252,870 1/1918 Whitaker 222-517 2,613,419 10/1952 Dorgelys 24-221 R 1,084,657 1/1914 Nash 24-221 R ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner H. G. SKAGGS, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 222-517, 556 

